Shigeru Ishiba Resigns as Japan’s Prime Minister Amid LDP Power Struggles

Hadisur Rahman, JadeTimes Staff

H. Rahman is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Asia

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Image Source: Willy Jou, East Asia Forum

Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced his resignation on 7 September 2025, ending a turbulent year in office. He will formally step down once the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) selects a new leader on 4 October.

Ishiba’s departure follows months of internal pressure after the LDP suffered heavy defeats in both the October 2024 lower house election and the July 2025 upper house contest. With the party losing its parliamentary majority, the government has relied on opposition support to pass legislation. Funding scandals, rising living costs, and U.S. tariff threats further weakened his administration.

Ishiba had narrowly secured the LDP leadership in October 2024 after years as a party outsider. His reputation as a maverick once drew public support, but his criticisms of past LDP governments alienated many colleagues. That lack of internal backing ultimately undermined his leadership. Former prime minister Taro Aso and other senior figures openly demanded his resignation after the July election setback, sealing his fate.

Despite protests urging him to stay, Ishiba admitted in his resignation statement that he had sacrificed his individuality in pursuit of party unity. His stalled reform agenda including support for separate family names for married couples disappointed both voters and allies.

Attention now turns to the LDP leadership race. Frontrunners include former internal affairs minister Sanae Takaichi, who could become Japan’s first female prime minister, and Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, praised for tackling rising food prices. Other contenders are Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi and former ministers Takayuki Kobayashi and Toshimitsu Motegi.

The next leader inherits daunting challenges: economic strain, security uncertainties, and voter frustration with entrenched party politics. Ishiba’s downfall highlights not just electoral setbacks, but deepening factional rivalries within the LDP itself.